"For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" is a popular song that is sung to congratulate a person on a significant event, such as a promotion, a birthday, a wedding (or playing a major part in a wedding), a wedding anniversary, the birth of a child, or the winning of a championship sporting event. The melody originates from the French song "Marlbrough s'en va-t-en guerre" ("Marlborough Has Left for the War"). The traditional children's song The Bear Went Over the Mountain is sung to the same tune.
Contents
- History
- Lyrics
- British version
- American version
- Danish version
- French version
- Italian version
- Portuguese version
- European Spanish version
- Latin Spanish version
- Swedish version
- Croatian version
- Catalan version
- Hebrew version
- Irish version
- Russian version
- Pause length
- Variations
- References
According to the Guinness World Records, "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" is the second-most popular song in the English language, following "Happy Birthday to You" and followed by "Auld Lang Syne".
History
The tune is of French origin and dates at least from the 18th century. Allegedly it was composed the night after the Battle of Malplaquet in 1709. It became a French folk tune and was popularized by Marie Antoinette after she heard one of her maids singing it. The melody became so popular in France that it was used to represent the French defeat in Beethoven's composition "Wellington's Victory" Opus 91 written in 1813.
The melody also became widely popular in the United Kingdom. By the mid-19th century it was being sung with the words "For he's a jolly good fellow", often at all-male social gatherings. By 1862, it was already familiar in America.
The British and American versions of the lyrics differ. "And so say all of us" is typically British, while "which nobody can deny" is regarded as the American version, but "which nobody can deny" has been used by non-American writers, including Charles Dickens in Household Words, Hugh Stowell Brown in Lectures to the Men of Liverpool and James Joyce in Finnegans Wake. In addition, the 1935 American film Ruggles of Red Gap, set in rural Washington state, ends with repeated choruses of the song, with the two variations sung alternately. This may have been chosen by the writer or director because while the crowd singing it is almost completely American, the person they are singing it about is British.
Lyrics
As with many songs that use gender-specific pronouns, the song can be altered to agree with the sex of the intended recipient, "he" being replaced with "she." If the song is being sung to two or more people (e.g. twins or triplets) it is altered to use plurals (i.e. "For They are Jolly Good Fellows.")
British version
For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow For he's a jolly good fellow (pause), and so say all of us And so say all of us, and so say all of us For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow For he's a jolly good fellow (pause), and so say all of us!American version
For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow For he's a jolly good fellow (pause), which nobody can deny Which nobody can deny, which nobody can deny For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow For he's a jolly good fellow (pause), which nobody can deny!Danish version
For han/hun er en af vor egne, for han/hun er en af vor egne For han/hun er en af vor egne (pause), en rigtig guttermand En rigtig guttermand, en rigtig guttermand For han/hun er en af vor egne, for han/hun er en af vor egne For han/hun er en af vor egne (pause), en rigtig guttermand!French version
Car c'est un bon camarade, Car c'est un bon camarade Car c'est un bon camarade (pause), Buvons à sa santé Buvons à sa santé, Buvons à sa santé Car c'est un bon camarade, Car c'est un bon camarade Car c'est un bon camarade (pause), Buvons à sa santé !Italian version
Perché è un bravo ragazzo, perché è un bravo ragazzo perché è un bravo ragazzo (pause), nessuno lo può negar Nessuno lo può negar, nessuno lo può negar Perché è un bravo ragazzo, perché è un bravo ragazzo perché è un bravo ragazzo (pause), nessuno lo può negar!Portuguese version
Ele é um bom companheiro, ele é um bom companheiro Ele é um bom companheiro (pause), ninguém pode negar ninguém pode negar, ninguém pode negar Ele é um bom companheiro, ele é um bom companheiro Ele é um bom companheiro (pause), ninguém pode negar!European Spanish version
Porque es un chico excelente, porque es un chico excelente Porque es un chico excelente..., y siempre lo será. Y siempre lo será, y siempre lo será. Porque es un chico excelente, porque es un chico excelente Porque es un chico excelente..., y siempre lo será. Y siempre lo será, y siempre lo será...Latin Spanish version
Porque es un buen compañero, porque es un buen compañero Porque es un buen compañero (pausa), y nadie lo puede negar Y nadie lo puede negar, y nadie lo puede negar Porque es un buen compañero, porque es un buen compañero Porque es un buen compañero (pausa), y nadie lo puede negar!Swedish version
För han är en jättebra kompis, för han är en jättebra kompis För han är en jättebra kompis..., fy fan vad han är bra! Fy fan vad han är bra, fy fan vad han är bra För han är en jättebra kompis, för han är en jättebra kompis För han är en jättebra kompis (paus), fy fan vad han är bra!Croatian version
Jer on je najbolji kompa, jer on je najbolji kompa, jer on je najbolji kompa, (pauza) i nitko to nemre poreč'! I nitko to nemre poreč' i nitko to nemre poreč'. Jer on je najbolji kompa, jer on je najbolji kompa, jer on je najbolji kompa, (pauza) i nitko to nemre poreč'!Catalan version
És un xicot excel·lent, és un xicot excel·lent. És un xicot excel·lent..., això no es pot negar. Això no es pot negar, això no es pot negar. És un xicot excel·lent, és un xicot excel·lent. És un xicot excel·lent..., això no es pot negar. Això no es pot negar, això no es pot negar...Hebrew version
Ki hu bahur ka'erez, ki hu bahur ka'erez Ki hu bahur ke'e-e-e-rez Kulanu pe ehad YEEEEEH!Irish version
For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow For he's a jolly good fellow (pause) And sunsé all of us, And sunsé all of us, and sunsé all of us For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow (pause) And sunsé all of us.Russian version
Какой хороший парень, какой хороший парень, Какой хороший парень... Приятно, что он среди нас, Приятно, что он среди нас, приятно, что он среди нас. Какой хороший парень, какой хороший парень,какой хороший парень... Приятно, что он среди нас.Pause length
Many people find it difficult to leave the correct pause in the third iteration of "For he's a jolly good fellow". This is particularly evident when several people are singing it at once, such as a crowd chant in a football stadium, or at a birthday party. When sung in 4/4 time, the correct pause between "-low" at the end of the third line and "so" near the beginning of the fourth line is four beats, making one complete verse 12 bars long.